RFID reader with programmable I/O control

• US 20070075832A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Chand, Sujeet, Hall, Kenwood, Somogyi, Andreas, Owen, Joseph, Bapat, Vivek, Tinnell, Kenneth, Pietrzyk, Arthur, Morse, Richard
• Application Number:
  US11/239,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20070075832A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10326 the antenna being of the very-near field type, e.g. capacitive

Abstract

A user-programmable (UP) component for an RFID reader. The UP component facilitates reading an RFID tag and interfacing to I/O that functions as a validation mechanism that the read operation has occurred. The UP component facilitates application of the reader to new and/or different systems and products. The UP component can be a separate external device or module that interfaces to the RFID reader, or can be integrated into the reader for operation therein.

Claims

1. A radio frequency identification (RFID) system, comprising:

a reader component that performs a read operation which reads data from an RFID tag; and

a programmable component that interfaces to the reader component and which is user programmable according to a specific environment in which the reader component is employed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmable component is user programmable for configuration of an input/output (I/O) parameter associated with a status of the read operation.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the I/O parameter is employed to augment detection and validation of an item that includes the RFID tag.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the I/O parameter is employed to communicate the data from the RFID tag to an external system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmable component at least one of receives, stores, and executes an algorithm.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmable component is internal to an RFID reader that performs the read operation.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmable component is mounted externally on an RFID reader that performs the read operation.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmable component communicates wirelessly with the reader component.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmable component is user programmable via an IP network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmable component receives I/O control information from a programmable logic controller (PLC).

11. A portable RFID reader that employs the components of claim 1.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmable component receives updated program instructions based upon the data read from the RFID tag.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmable component communicates with the reader component via a wireless communications link.

14. An RFID system, comprising:

a user-programmable component that interfaces to an RFID reader and which is user programmable according to an environment in which the reader component is employed; and

a configuration component that facilitates configuration of an aspect associated with the read operation.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the user-programmable component is internal to the RFID reader.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the user-programmable component is internal to a PLC.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the configuration facilitates configuration of an I/O subsystem of the RFID reader.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the configuration facilitates configuration of an I/O system associated with the RFID reader.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the user-programmable component facilitates programming of a reader component of the RFID reader.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the user-programmable component facilitates activation of the RFID reader.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the user-programmable component facilitates returning status information of the RFID reader.

22. A method of controlling an RFID reader, comprising:

receiving a user-programmable component that employs an application specific program;

associating the user-programmable component with an RFID reader that reads RFID tags in a first environment; and

controlling the RFID reader to read the RFID tags.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising modifying the application specific program of the user-programmable component when the RFID reader is moved to a new environment.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising uploading a new application specific program to the user-programmable component when the RFID reader reads tag data that is different from previous tag data.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising modifying the application specific program of the user-programmable component when an I/O component associated with the RFID reader changes.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising uploading a new application specific program to the user-programmable component from a central program control component.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the act of controlling occurs via the application specific program the user-programmable component such that status information associated with there RFID reader is returned for processing.

28. A system that facilitates control an RFID reader, comprising:

means for programming a user-programmable component that employs an application specific program;

means for interfacing the user-programmable component to an RFID reader that reads RFID tags; and

means for controlling the RFID reader to read the RFID tags.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the means for interfacing includes interface means that is a wireless communications link.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the means for interfacing includes interface means that is a wired communications link such that the user-programmable component is attached externally to the RFID reader.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the means for interfacing includes interface means that is a wired communications link such that the user-programmable component is integrated into the RFID reader.

32. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for uploading the application specific program to the user-programmable component.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the means for uploading comprises transport means that includes non-volatile memory.